Mass media exposure and modern contraceptive use among married West African adolescents

The purpose of this study was to examine whether family planning (FP) messaging is reaching married adolescent women in West Africa, and whether such messaging is associated with increased contraceptive use.

We utilised data from the 2010 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for Burkina Faso and Senegal (women 15-49; N = 17,067 and N = 15,688, respectively). We used chi-square tests to evaluate whether FP messaging exposure (via TV, radio, and/or print) differed according to socio-demographic characteristics. Subsequent analysis focussed on married adolescents (15-19; N = 961 in Burkina Faso, N = 996 in Senegal) which utilised propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression models to test the association between self-reported FP messaging exposure and modern contraceptive use, knowledge of a modern contraceptive method, and future intention to use contraception.

A higher proportion of women 15-49 who reported FP messaging exposure were urban, from higher wealth quintiles, and had higher education levels, compared with unexposed women. A smaller proportion of adolescents reported exposure compared to older age groups. Among married adolescents, there was a positive but non-significant association between FP messaging exposure and use of a modern contraceptive method in Senegal (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.3; 95% CI: 0.92, 5.73). No such association was found in Burkina Faso (aOR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.43, 2.26).

Mass media campaigns are not reaching the most vulnerable populations in West Africa, such as adolescents and poorer rural women. Adapting mass media campaigns to address these gaps is important for increasing exposure to FP messaging.